Invert emulsion fire extinguishing composition and method

ABSTRACT

A new fire extinguishing composition in the form of a high aqueous content thick viscous material which forms an effective water blanket when applied or sprayed on horizontal or vertical surfaces and the like.

United States Patent [191 Adell [54] INVERT EMULSION FIRE EXTINGUISHINGCOMPOSITION AND METHOD [76] Inventor: Franklin Z. Adel], 1429 Ardmoor,

Birmingham, Mich. 48010 [22] Filed: Dec. 6, 1973 21 App]. No.: 422,425

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,637,022 l/l972 Kelly et a]252/8.05 X

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 726,670 l/l966 Canada 252/2 PrimaryExaminerBenjamin R. Padgett Assistant ExaminerE. Suzanne Parr Attorney,Agent, or FirmHarness, Dickey & Pierce [57] ABSTRACT A new fireextinguishing composition in the form of a high aqueous content thickviscous material which forms an effective water blanket when applied orsprayed on horizontal or vertical surfaces and the like.

6 Claims, N0 Drawings INVERT EMULSION FIRE EXTINGUISHING COMPOSITION ANDMETHOD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention broadly relates to anew tire extin- In another aspect the present invention involves aguishing composition and method of preparing and apmethod of firefighting comprising applying to the fire plying same. a compositioncomprised of (a) at least one non-ionic The state of the art isindicated by the following refsurfactant means selected from the groupconsisting of erences: US. Pat. Nos. 2,182,440; 2,356,205; alkylphenoxypoly( oxyethylene)ethanols, and (b) wa- 3,254,7l4; 3,297,084; 3,330,343;3,356,610; ter, whereln the ratio of (b) to (a) is between about 5:13,425,939; 3,432,454. .r and 35:1.

The main obj ct of thi inve ti i to id a new From still another aspectthe present invention comand improved fire extinguishing composition.Prlses a method of fire fighting comphsmg, adding Another object f thinvention i to id a new water to a concentrated surfactant means withgenerh d f f l i a fire extinguishing comPosi- 5 ally concurrentapplication of sufficient controlled mixi ing energy to achieve aninverted emulsion type com- S il] another bjec f the present inventionis to position in a gel like structure wherein said surfactant i a newmethod f fi extinguishing means generally encapsulates the water 111small drop- Other objects, features and advantages of the present letsto form h elhulsioh which is f and viscous invention willbecome apparentfrom the subsequent h h sald emulslon to a desired surface fordescription and the appended claims. fire fighting- SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS While it is not fullyunderstood why the invention I d th h works in such a highlysatisfactory manner and while it n i i bl e g lscovery isstill beingattempted to ascertain the underlying reaone par [cu ar y Sm a e ngcompqsl 1S 1 made from a concentrate formulation comprised of a sonswhich bring about the excellent workability of the non-ionic surfactantmaterial such as an alkylphenoxy invention, the following points areconsidered to be of poly(oxyethylene)ethanol type surfactant orsurfactant significant importance. When the composition of this h d h bll f invention is applied to a fire it effectively appears that mixture W15 com me a Sulta 6 so ventor t bl k t f d th Th the concentrate such aspetroleum naptha or the llke. 9 2; 33 g The concentrate formulation orsurfactant means is g g l f 1S 6 $1 a Viscous mixed with water and ithas been discovered that it is n mver emu 1 w f caltlses i i criticallyimportant to the invention herein that the ,9 nursermshsma i g wa er I t6 9 35 water be added to the concentrate formulation slowly posmon if wg P Zprotecnve zz or the water should be added to the concentrate withover a to t ere y "93" or preveht concurrent application of sufficientcontrolled mixing The vlscoslty the Composmon gfjnerauy f energy toachieve the unique inverted emulsion in the ally thick and viscous andhas a consistency similar to form of a gel like Structure having amayonnaise like that of mayonnaise and the viscous compositlon has a 40consistency and viscosity gel like structure. The composition has theability to The fire fighting composition discovered and adhere tovertical surfaces as well as horizontal surclosed herein may be appliedto desired surfaces in a faces wherein the surfaces are of materialssuch as number f diff t manners For example, it may be steel, wood,brick, cement, glass, tarred surfaces, etc. applied by pouring, pumpingspraying etc The impor w the fhp h 1S sprayed on a burning Surface tantpoint is that the composition herein, once applied, It has the ablhty tobuild p a l y coahhg that is highly effective in extinguishing orpreventing fires. tinguishes or assists in preventing f re. When thecomw applied by Spraying or through a nozzle, it has p n 01 emulsion ofthis invention 15 heated abpv been discovered that the compositionherein must be the bOlIlng POIITI, II hasbeen discovered thatvaporizathrough a nozzle pening does not re- Occurs leaving ah hkeresldue- Subsequently or strict or break down the gel like structuresuch that the eventually the y hke residue evaporates when compositionwould be changed back to a form wherein posed to air in most instances.Also in accordance with h water i non l ted, the invention, the fires ybe Controlled from P The ratio of water to the concentrate or surfactanting by spraying the emulsion or composition of this inmeans hereinshould broadly be within the range of vention on areas not yet reachedby the fire and the about 5:1 and 35:1, and preferably this ratio shouldbe composition then prevents the fire from spreading to maintainedwithin the range of about 20:1 and 30:1. such areas. In accordance withthe inventive discovery The viscosity or consistency of the compositionherein herein, it also appears that when a tire or a flame is apis likemayonnaise in appearance. plied to the emulsion or composition the gellike struc- In order to further illustrate the invention, the followturestrongly resists break down. ing examples are provided. It is to beunderstood, how- Briefly stated the present invention concerns a fireever, that the examples are included for illustrative purextinguishingcomposition, in the form of an invert poses and are not intended to belimiting of the scope emulsion and being of relatively thick viscosity,comof the invention as set forth in the subjoined claims.

EXAMPLES No. l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (a) Concentrate-Surfactant Formulationlgepal DM-430 l6 l0 13 12 20 30 EXAMPLES Continued No. l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8lgepal CO-310 9 5 7 6 12 25 lgepal CO-530 4 3 4 3 8 35 Petroleum NapthaSC-205 7] 82 76 79 6O 70 75 65 Total parts by weight 100 100 100 100 100100 100 100 (b) Water-balance of 7/1 /1 /1 /1 /1 25/1 30/1 28/1composition at volume ratio of (water/concentrate) IGEPAL is a TRADEMARKof the GAP Corporation. The IGEPAL DM surfactant has a chemicalstructure of a polyoxyethylated dialkylphenol, illustrated by 15 thefollowing formula:

hydrophobic hydrophilic dialkylphenoxypoly(ethyleneoxy)ethanolhydrophobic hydrophilic nonylphenoxypoly(ethyleneoxy)ethanol (n denotesthe number of moles ethylene oxide per mole of nonylphenol).

Example Formulating Procedure: add water into concentrate portion (a) atl to 1 ratio and mix, then add 2 added volume parts water and mix, thenslowly add additional water with simultaneous high agitation of themixture until ratio indicated is achieved.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of theinvention disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects abovestated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible tomodification, variation and change without departing from the properscope or fair meaning of the sub-joined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fire extinguishing composition, in the form of an invert emulsionand being of relatively thick viscosity, consisting essentially of,

a. at least one non-ionic surfactant means selected from the groupconsisting of alkylphenoxy poly(oxyethylene) ethanols, and

b. water, wherein the ratio of (b) to (a) is between about 5:1 and 35:1.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein,

said ratio is between about 20:1 and 30:1.

3. A method of fire fighting comprising applying to the fire acomposition consisting essentially of a. at least one non-ionicsurfactant means selected from the group consisting of alkylphenoxypoly(oxyethylene) ethanols, and

b. water, wherein the ratio of (b) to (a) is between about 5:1 to 35:1.

4. A method of fire fighting consisting essentially of,

a. adding water to a concentrated non-ionic surfactant with generallyconcurrent application of sufficient controlled mixing energy to achievean inverted emulsion type composition in a gel like structure whereinsaid surfactant generally encapsulates the water in small droplets toform the emulsion which is thick and viscous,

b. applying said emulsion to a desired surface for fire fighting.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein,

said emulsion is applied through a nozzle opening means operative formaintaining the gel like structure and preventing de-encapsulating ofthe water.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein,

the water and surfactant are present respectively at a ratio betweenabout 20:1 and 35:1.

1. A FIRE EXTINGUISHING COMPOSITION, IN THE FORM OF AN INVERT EMULSIONAND BEING OF RELATIVELY THICK VISCOSITY, CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF, A.AT LAST ONE NON-IONIC SURFACTANT MEANS SELECTED FROM THE GROUPCONSISTING OF ALKYLPHENOXY POLY(OXYETHYLENE) ETHANOLS, AND B. WATER,WHEREIN TE RATIO OF (B) TO (A) IS BETWEEN ABOUT 5:1 AND 35:1.
 2. Theinvention of claim 1 wherein, said ratio is between about 20:1 and 30:1.3. A method of fire fighting comprising applying to the fire acomposition consisting essentially of a. at least one non-ionicsurfactant means selected from the group consisting of alkylphenoxypoly(oxyethylene) ethanols, and b. water, wherein the ratio of (b) to(a) is between about 5:1 to 35:1.
 4. A method of fire fightingconsisting essentially of, a. adding water to a concentrated non-ionicsurfactant with generally concurrent application of sufficientcontrolled mixing energy to achieve an inverted emulsion typecomposition in a gel like structure wherein said surfactant generallyencapsulates the water in small droplets to form the emulsion which isthick and viscous, b. applying said emulsion to a desired surface forfire fighting.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein, said emulsion isapplied through a nozzle opening means operative for maintaining the gellike structure and preventing de-encapsulating of the water.
 6. Theinvention of claim 4 wherein, the water and surfactant are presentrespectively at a ratio between about 20:1 and 35:1.